Super Easy "Kalua Pig"

By BobN

We wanted a Hawaiian party to get rid of the winter doldrums. So we threw a small cocktail party with a mini-luau table of foods. The menu included a simple fruit salad with coconut, some Chinese fried rice, and "kalua pig." We thought we'd have leftovers, but not a scrap was left behind!

Ingredients

• 4-5 pounds of pork shoulder roast
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (or sea salt)
• 2 tablespoons 'liquid smoke'
• 4-5 bananas, whole and unpeeled

Preparation

Step 1

Poke holes into pork with a steak knife or fork.

2. Mix the liquid smoke and salt into a slurry, then rub it into the meat, trying to get it into all of the crevices of the pork.

3. If the pork isn't already tied, tie it snugly with string.

4. Place the pork on large pieces of aluminum foil (this replaces traditional banana leaves), and put the whole unpeeled bananas on top of the roast.

5. Wrap the pork and bananas up in the foil tightly, and place in a baking pan (some juice will probably leak out no matter how well you wrap it.)

6. Place in oven that is heated to 325 to 350 for 45 minutes per pound, or a bit longer -- you want to be sure that the pork is thoroughly cooked. (I used 350 because I have a big oven and really fear undercooked pork.)

7. Take out the pork, let it sit for while, then shred it with a fork and knife.

MAKE AHEAD IDEA: This is fantastic if made the day before a party. You can leave the pork whole, just refrigerate after it cools. The day of the party, shred it into an oven-proof serving bowl and scrap some of the aspic-like juice off the foil and put it over the shredded pork. Add some of the fat as well, to add moisture. Then cover the bowl with foil and reheat at 325 for one hour. Your home will smell yummy and the pork will be a standout.

You can serve this with Portuguese sweet bread (or panettone), rice, and fruit for a whole meal. Or serve it with just some soft bread and some fruit chutney for small sandwiches with drinks.